The present invention relates to a color image recording apparatus, and more particularly to an improvement of a color image recording apparatus in which a density and a hue of the image to be reproduced are adjustable.
Various types of color image recording apparatuses have been known in the art, such as of a silver chloride photographic type, an electrophotography type, an ink jet type. In such recording apparatuses, a photosensitive recording medium is exposed to image light to form a latent image thereon, and the latent image is developed to provide a visible image. In color image recording apparatuses, the photosensitive recording medium is successively exposed to light components having wavelengths corresponding to red (R), green (G) and blue (B), thereby superposedly forming latent images thereon. The latent image is thereafter developed to provide a color image thereon. The density of the reproduced color image is determined depending on the amounts of three primary colors including yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), or depending further on the amount of black pigment or black dye is used together with the three primary colors. The hue of the reproduced color image is determined depending on the balance or ratio of the colors. Therefore, the color image can be reproduced with desired density and hue by varying each amount of the three primary colors.
When it is desired that the density of the entire color image be lowered, the amounts of three primary colors may be lowered at a time. Further, when it is desired that the hue of the image be changed to, for example, reddish while remaining the entire image density unchanged, the amounts of magenta and yellow may be increased whereas the density of cyan may be lowered.
In the conventional color image recording apparatuses, density adjusting dials are provided which can individually adjust the amounts or densities of the three colors. With such dials, the user adjusts the respective densities of the colors prior to making color copies.
However, it is difficult to obtain color copies of intended density and tone in the case where the respective densities of the primary colors are separately adjusted. To obtain a desired color copy, test copying needs to be carried out repeatedly while varying the respective dials until the copy is found to be satisfactory.
In the case where the color copying machine is used in homes as a video printer in conjunction with a television or a video tape recorder, it is necessary that the users including housekeepers and children be readily adjust the density and the hue.